Saturday, 16 May 2020 2 Timothy 2:1-13
“You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” -2 Timothy 2:3
As Paul writes to Timothy giving him instructions on how to conduct and train himself as a good minister of Christ, there are lessons for every believer today. God’s Word gives us the wisdom to live well—for if we live wisely, we can leave behind enduring marks along our life’s journey which cannot be erased by time. Good works of a righteous man follow him to eternity. Rev. 19:8: “And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” A life well-lived requires certain disciplines in life. Paul, as he writes this letter to Timothy at the time of his imprisonment in Rome, makes this fact clear to Timothy. To explain this, he uses three examples from life:
A Soldier (2Tim 2:3)
An Athlete (2Tim 2:5)
A Farmer (2Tim 2:6)
All three examples give us a clear understanding of how to operate and live in order to achieve the goal of our life.
Soldier
The soldier is called to fight for the kingdom he belongs to. As Christians, we are called to fight for the Kingdom of His Son Jesus Christ which is the kingdom of Light. But to be on the battlefield, we need real discipline in life, without which a soldier will not prevail. Enthusiasm will bring one to the field of activity but discipline will make him endure in the battle. Endurance can be had only when we are focused and disciplined. Christian discipline matures a person and separates him from the normal course of life. He will be only tuned to the voice of his Captain! 2Tim. 2:4: “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”
An Athlete
For an athlete to receive the crown, he needs to compete according to the rules. We as Christians are called to run the race with rules. The race is already marked out. It is the narrow way that leads up to eternity. Matt. 7:13-14: "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” In order to run this path which is full of obstacles, we need to be really trained well in the way of the cross. Many despise this truth and make their own rules for running and perish because any rule marked out by us leads us to the broadway. But the Lord Himself has kept a way that leads us to eternity where we will receive the crown of victory.
A Farmer
The farmer has to work really hard to obtain the results, he is awaiting. He cannot forgo his field at any time. He needs to have a constant watch and work tirelessly until he harvests the field. So likewise, we need to take care of our own field as well as those who are with us. It involves patient work. Unless there is patience, the farmer will never reap the benefit!
As workers in God’s Kingdom, let us strive to measure up to all the above admonitions given by Paul.
Think on it: Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15